In a Kingdom by the Sea
by TcEm
Summary: Greg Aston comes looking for a present for Annabel's birthday and Mr. Gold is unusually helpful. Bad summary. I suck at summaries.


In A Kingdom by the Sea.

Mr. Gold was a hard man, that was a fact universally acknowledged, therefore the mere thought of being KIND…was not something that should ever be associated with the cold businessman.

And yet here he was, standing at the circulation desk while the small, petite and pretty librarian plundered thanks after thanks at the two week extension on her payments.

"Mr. Gold, you don't know how much this means to the children, and- "She stopped and blushed prettily darling blue looking up at him under thick lashes. "And to me."

Mr. Gold felt heat crawl up his collar and he shifted awkwardly. "No matter." He brushed it off, giving a strict nod and speedily retreated from the room and into the cold bitter wind of Maine.

He shook his head and pinched his nose in agitation. This was exactly what he told himself he wouldn't do. He did not DO exceptions….at least not without a price. But the moment he saw that ….**MINX** he knew he would give her the world at her feet if she just so much as gave one of those frequent and shining smiles.

Regina would laugh at his face if she ever got wind of this. He knew for certain and but no matter how much he wanted to yell at this poor woman, take her by the shoulders and show her what a monster he could be, there was always something, much alike a knife to his gut that told him to do so would be only short of blasphemy. No one was allowed to touch her this way. He didn't know why he felt so strongly about that but in his mind that was irrefutable law.

He started his walk towards his shop across the street and on his way walked by Greg Aston, Annabel's husband.

"Good day Mr. Gold."

He cocked his head slightly to one side, a small gesture that he had indeed heard him, and no he was not going to respond.

He entered his shop and the distinct smell of antiques hit his nose in a small welcome.

The bell behind him chimed and he turned around to see the blundering baboon looking around some display cases. There is no rest for the wicked he supposed.

"Can I help you with something Mr…"

"Aston" He replied looking sheepish.

"I'm looking for my Ann."

"Annabelle." He corrected, her name was too beautiful to be shortened and dismantled till it became plain.

"Um…yes…Annabel." He looked lost taking in a case full of diamonds.

"Do you know what she might like."

"It's her birthday and well…I'm not too sure, last year I got her a diamond bracelet but she hardly even puts it on."

"Maybe it's just too grand for everyday events." Mr. Gold interjected though he knew that was hardly the case….Annabelle was not the type to fawn over shiny objects like a raven in its nest.

Ravens….

It was her birthday. And if he helped ….well even if the idiot got all the credit, if she was happy…he would have inadvertently made her so. It would have been him and not the idiot she married.

He went around the room and took out a book from its cranny and brought it to the counter.

"This ….is an old Edgar Allen Poe volume I've had since I was a boy…not a first edition mind you but old enough for value." He gazed at the leather front and ran his fingers down its worn spine. She would love it he was sure. She would caress the pages and take in the scent. He knew his tiny librarian.

"An old book…that's not really romantic , been out of the game for a while wouldn't you say. "

Aston laughed and Mr. Gold barely retained the hard scoff fighting it's way out. The tall man knew nothing.

"No …not just an old book…it hardly matters it's state. It's what's inside that she'll want."

"I don't know…" The fool started but Gold's mind was already made up. He bent beneath the counter and retrieved an old lace golden ribbon…one that he'd often found himself feeling while in the confines of his shop…the golden material and it's embroidery something that felt out of a dream…a long lost memory.

Skimming through the pages he found at last the verses he'd recited in his head every time he saw her face. Verses that sometimes brought him to tears and shocked him while doing so.

"This is her gift Mr. Aston…nothing else will do and so help me god if I find out she did not receiver her, I trust your rent will surely triple in a matter of months is that understood."

The other man dumbly shook his head and stuttered in defeat. " How…how much will it be Mr. Gold."

He felt the golden ribbon once more between his finger tips and slowly drawled out.

"This one …is on me." And softly closed the book on one of his greatest treasures.

"Mr. Gold…..Mr. Gold wait!" He was outside of the shop after a long day and night had fallen some time ago…for a second he thought he was dreaming or delirious because there stood sweet little Annabelle in a black jacket and matching beanie. Out in the cold looking like a dove in the dark.

"Dearie, may I ask what in the world you're doing."

She thrust out a book she'd been holding tight to her chest and her sky blue eyes looked imploringly at him.

"Why?"

He shook his head and fought the urge to shiver…one he thought had very little to do with the snow just starting to fall.

"You're going to have to be much more descriptive than that, love."

He cursed himself inwardly cringing as the word escaped his lips. Looking up at her though he saw the way her eyes glazed over and warmth pooled at her cheeks.

"I was a child and she was a child,

In this kingdom by the sea;

But we loved with a love that was more than love-

I and my Annabel Lee;

With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven

Coveted her and me."

She recited lips parted after the last words, a question lingering and hanging deftly in the air.

"You ….you gave me this. Aston….he could…he would never. But I'm not blind." She took a step closer bringing her a mere foot a way. Close enough to see that blue ever changing like the sky on a summer day.

"You…."

She let the sentence hang.

"And this was the reason that, long ago,

In this kingdom by the sea,

A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling

My beautiful Annabel Lee"

He spoke in a whisper and the darkness around them engulfed them and suffocated them in an exquisite way.

"I love you." He muttered and then there were no words only the soft feel of her lips against his and the feel of her in his arms.

"I know. I've always known. "She cried out and held onto him as if he were life itself.

But they were still Mr. Gold and she was still Annabel Aston, that had not changed, there were no happy endings in this world.

AUTHORS NOTE: Holy shit I wrote something…um I suck at grammer…I AM SORRY 3 First try at Rumbelle AU fic…or really any fic in a reaaaallly long time….REVIEW PLEASE 3


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